The Acadian World Congress underway in Nova Scotia through next week is expected to draw thousands from the Acadian Diaspora.

HALIFAX—Pothiers from Spain and Cotrauds from the Caribbean gathered with Gallants from Sweden and Comeaus from Hong Kong.

Thousands of Acadians, their families in tow, have flocked to Nova Scotia for this week's World Acadian Congress to celebrate nearly 250 years of surviving attempts to sever their family ties.

The smell of crawfish and the excited chatter of old friends filled the air yesterday as more than 5,000 people gathered in Church Point for ceremonies to kick off the Congress.

"The emotion was just palpable," said Danielle LeBlanc, a spokeswoman for the event that will run for the next two weeks.

In 1755, fearing a rebellion aided by the Mi'kmaq, the British governor of Nova Scotia ordered the deportation of the French-speaking Acadians. More than 11,000 were packed in ships' holds and sent to unknown shores.

According to family lore, my mother's Acadian ancestors hid in the woods to escape deportation by the British.

Her father, my grandfather, came from Tignish, P.E.I., where he played the organ at his mother's funeral at Ss Simon & Jude Church.

Her father's father was a ship's captain who, it is said, ran Union blockades during the Civil War. Her uncle was the first Acadian to serve as premier of a Canadian province.

The Acadian festival sounds like a fun time, and maybe one of these years we'll be able to attend.

Will make do for now with some rather nice Tignish photos, and the Island Cam from the official PEI website.

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Follow along to the Latin lyrics of "Ave, Maris Stella," the Acadian national anthem. An mp3 clip of a choir rendition comes from a Tignish music page.

More music clips: "Reel à Delphine" and some jigs by the PEI Acadian group Barachois.

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Angels serve dinner to an Acadian family in this 1898 newspaper illustration from the collection of the National Library of Quebec. What's it mean? Haven't the foggiest.

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An Acadian maypole dance was a highlight of the evening at an Ottawa costume ball in 1896 that is recalled in an interesting online exhibition by the Canadian Museum of Civilization on the fancy-dress phenomenon in Victorian Canada.

Current PC sensibilities are evident at the Iroquois dress-up page. No similar disclaimers are attached to the Asterix-like depiction of Leif Ericsson & Co., the Ancient Norsemen Grievance Lobby not in full letter-writing mode these days.

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Bill Cork has been posting coverage of the Acadian festival at his website and plans to attend. He maintains a website devoted to his Acadian heritage at L'Acadie Toujours.